Disaster Preparedness:
How to Get Safe Drinking Water in an Emergency
By Carlo
Morelli
Nothing makes clearer the importance of water than
a large disaster; clean, fresh water becomes more valuable
than gold. It’s easy to forget that without water, we
just can’t survive. 60 percent of our bodies are water,
in fact for infants, water makes up about 80 percent
of their body, so it is even more vital they have access
to clean drinking water.
Unfortunately, following large-scale disasters, it’s
not unusual that water supplies may be cut off temporarily
or be rendered unfit for consumption. Everyone should
know the following tips about safe drinking water in
emergency situations.
Preparedness is Everything: The advice comes over and
over, but most people still are not ready when disaster
hits. You must maintain a supply of clean drinking water
someplace safe in your home. You can survive a week
without food, if necessary, but even one or two days
without water can be fatal.
In terms of how much water is needed to be stored,
you need to drink at least two quarts a day of water.
Enough water for all the members of your family for
at least a few days is a good idea. You can store water
yourself in your own containers; anything glass, and
clean, thoroughly washed plastic containers with caps
work well. Seal water tightly in their containers and
store them in someplace cool and dark in your home.
Make sure to change new water regularly; once every
six months.
Finding Safe Drinking Water: If you do run out of water
during an emergency, or are trapped somewhere without
ready access to clean drinking water, you’ll need to
know what's safe to drink, and what isn't.
After a disaster, possible sources of safe drinking
water in your home include the water from your hot water
tank, the water from your toilet tank (not the bowl,
but the water from your tank, but if it is chemical-free),
and water trapped in your water pipes. Melt any ice
cubes that you may have stored.
Avoid using water from waterbeds as drinking water,
since they are treated with chemicals unsafe for drinking.
You can use waterbed water for washing, though. Outside
your home try to locate streams, rivers, lakes, or other
sources of fresh water. Never drink floodwater; it is
usually contaminated with bacteria and chemicals. Do
save rainwater that may fall for drinking.
Purifying Water in an Emergency: If you cannot locating
safe drinking water during an emergency, then any water
you find that does not look clear, or which you believe
may be contaminated, should be purified before drinking.
The best and easiest way to purify water is by boiling.
Disease-bearing microorganisms cannot survive in high
temperatures. Boil the water for about one minute. For
improved taste, pour the water back and forth from one
clean container to another.
If you’re unable to boil your water, treat it chemically
before drinking. Household chlorine bleach can be used
to treat your water. Use an eyedropper, to drop eight
drops of bleach into each gallon of water to be treated.
Make sure the chlorine you use lists hypochlorite as
its only active ingredient; any extra chemicals or fragrances
will only further contaminate the water. Stir the water
and allow it to stand at least 30 minutes. When the
water appears clear, it is likely safe to drink. If
it is still murky or clouded, put in eight more drops
and let stand another 30 minutes.
Carlo Morelli writes for OnlineTips.Org, where you
can read tips on home
alarm monitoring, and home
security services and products.
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